Hi, folks. I'm looking through a book of simple recipes, and I see that some
of them call for "Coarse salt" or "Kosher salt". Why the distinction? I
mean, NaCl is NaCl regardless of lump-size or ethnic tradition.

Johan Larson

"Johan Larson" <johan0larson8comcast0net> wrote in message
...
> Hi, folks. I'm looking through a book of simple recipes, and I see that
> some of them call for "Coarse salt" or "Kosher salt". Why the distinction?
> I mean, NaCl is NaCl regardless of lump-size or ethnic tradition.
>
> Johan Larson
>

Interesting salt facts:
http://www.cargillsalt.com/sfbay/AAS_basics_kinds.html

Regular table salt often contains dextrose (a form of sugar), and I suppose
some people think it affects the flavor of certain recipes. So, they
sometimes recommend kosher salt, which contains no dextrose. However, beware
of older recipes which recommend kosher salt for pickling. 30 years ago, the
kosher salt I bought did not contain anti-caking agents (which cause
clouding in pickled products), but as the web site indicates, some kosher
salt DOES contain those anti-caking agents now.

"Johan Larson" <johan0larson8comcast0net> wrote in message
...
> Hi, folks. I'm looking through a book of simple recipes, and I see that
> some of them call for "Coarse salt" or "Kosher salt". Why the distinction?
> I mean, NaCl is NaCl regardless of lump-size or ethnic tradition.
>
> Johan Larson

First, all salt is kosher. What we buy as kosher slat is used for making
meat kosher as it is flaked and helps to draw the blood from the meat.

When making something with salt that will dissolve, yes, you are correct
chemically speaking, but when putting salt on top of food, there is a
different taste sensation between course and fine salts.

Most table salts also have additives. "Anti-caking stuff, iodine, etc.
Diamond brand kosher slat is pure, 100% salt. Get a bit of Morton's
iodized salt on your finger tip, a bit of Diamond kosher on another finger
and take a taste. From that point on, you will start using kosher salt.

Johan Larson wrote:

> Hi, folks. I'm looking through a book of simple recipes, and
> I see that some of them call for "Coarse salt" or "Kosher salt".
> Why the distinction? I mean, NaCl is NaCl regardless of
> lump-size or ethnic tradition.

The density of the salt per unit volume differs, so the recipe
must be clear which is used. Kosher salt is less dense,
so you typically need to use 25% greater volume.
If you measure by weight, there's no diffference.

"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
> The density of the salt per unit volume differs, so the recipe
> must be clear which is used. Kosher salt is less dense,
> so you typically need to use 25% greater volume.
> If you measure by weight, there's no diffference.

You care correct to meet the chemical formula, but I find that I can use
less kosher salt and get a more saltier taste. More to do with mouth feel
than weight.

Johan Larson wrote:
> Hi, folks. I'm looking through a book of simple recipes, and I see that some
> of them call for "Coarse salt" or "Kosher salt". Why the distinction? I
> mean, NaCl is NaCl regardless of lump-size or ethnic tradition.
>
> Johan Larson


This is what I thought when I read your message. You are correct in one
sense of your conclusion, however, the various environmental conditions
that exist during the curing process of NaC1 contribute greatly in how
that salt is used, in addition defining its distinct flavor. I use
Kosher salt because it packs a large dose of flavor in a small amount.
Table salt is bitter, and I don't find much use for it, unless I am
pouring it on ants (not to eat, but kill)! Work for me.

R. Taylor Goldberg/Colorado

On 16-Jul-2005, Mark Thorson > wrote:

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> Johan Larson wrote:
>
> > Hi, folks. I'm looking through a book of simple recipes, and
> > I see that some of them call for "Coarse salt" or "Kosher salt".
> > Why the distinction? I mean, NaCl is NaCl regardless of
> > lump-size or ethnic tradition.
>
> The density of the salt per unit volume differs, so the recipe
> must be clear which is used. Kosher salt is less dense,
> so you typically need to use 25% greater volume.
> If you measure by weight, there's no diffference.

Table salt may be purchased with or without iodine. But virtually
all table salt contains an anti-caking agent. Morton table salt
occupies 1.75 Cu In per Oz.

Morton Kosher salt has no additives and occupies 2.1 Cu. In. per
Oz.

Diamond Crystal Kosher salt also has no additives and it occupies
2.8 Cu. In. per Oz.

The saltiness of the product is a function of it's weight rather
then the volumn used. All three products mentioned are equally
salty by weight measure. Morton table salt is saltier by volumn
then either of the Kosher salts and Diamond Crystal is the
least salty (By volumn) by a significant amount.

Morton Kosher figures to be ~17% less salty by volumn then table
salt. Diamond Crystal figures to be 37.5% less salty.

Iodized salt does taste bitter to some sensitive palates. That's to
be expected because Iodine is bitter. There should be no appreciable
difference in taste between one grind of pure salt (NaCl) and another
as they are all highly refined.

That's today's dose of trivia.
--
The Brick said that (Don't bother to agree with me, I have already changed
my mind.)

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In article >, on Sun, 17 Jul 2005
18:40:02 GMT, Brick wrote:

> Morton Kosher salt has no additives and occupies 2.1 Cu. In. per
> Oz.

Morton Kosher salt does have an additive - specifically, Yellow
Prussiate of Soda (sodium ferrocyanide) as a free-flowing agent.

--
Seth Goodman